Lubricating device for electric dry shaver

ABSTRACT

A lubricating device for depositing a lubricant onto the cutter teeth of a reciprocating inner cutter movable relative to a stationary outer cutter of an electric dry shaver, and which device includes a brush and container. The brush has bristles which are immersible within a gelled lubricant within an elongated container and the lubricant is carried by the bristles, whereby when the brush is inserted into the inner cutter the lubricant is caused to deposit on the cutter teeth. A cap constitutes the handle of the brush as well as serving to seal the container when the brush is stored therein.

[45] Sept. 26, 1972 3,422,927 1/1969 Menk........................184/102 2,803,028 8/1957 Flynn 401/129 [54] 'LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC DRY SHAVER [72] Inventor:

John Robert Tierney, Milford, Conn.

Primary Examiner-Manuel A. Antonakas Attorney-Charles R. Miranda Assignee: Sperry Rand Corporation, New ABSTRACT A lubricating device for depositing a lubricant onto York, NY.

221 7 Filed:

Nov. 23, 1970 the cutter teeth of a reciprocating inner cutter movable relative to a stationary outer cutter of an electric [21] App1.No.: 92,063

- dry shaver, and which device includes a brush and container. The brush has bristles which are immersible within a gelled lubricant within an elongated container [52] US. Cl..,..................184/102, 184/1 E, 401/129 [51] Int. 15/00 184/102, 98, l R, l E;

andthe lubricant is carried by the bristles, whereby when the brush is inserted into the inner cutter the [58] Field of lubricant is. caused to deposit on the cutter teeth. A cap constitutes the handle of the brush as well as serving to seal the container when the brush is stored therein.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS S e r u .m F 2. n bl w f. D 5 .m h C 4 99 XE ull 24// 1 11 00 m A Kambersky......... 2,031,368 2/1936 Hodson...................... 2,002,752 5/1935 2,148,736 2/1939 Engel,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electric dry shavers accumulate hair clippings in usage and to assist in insuring adequate performance of the shaver the hair clippings must be periodically removed therefrom. In addition, skin oils and other fatty substances deposit on the cutter surface and the consequent build-up in such fatty substances tends to harden on the cutting edges of the cutter teeth to dull same. All this, if not periodically removed, substantially reduces the cutting efficiency of the shaver.

Some electric shaver owners use a brush with bristles thereon to remove hair clippings from the cutters. Other users blow on the cutter heads, while still others, use aerosol devices to direct blasts of gas at the shaver head to physically dislodge the hair clippings from the cutter teeth, as well as to lubricate the moving cutter surfaces. Another-cleaning method is to immerse the shaver cutter head into a tray containing a cleaning solution and to operate the shaver for several seconds while the cutter is so immersed. This has proved to be an extremely effective method of removing hair clippings and accumulated oils and fatty substances which provide a drag on the movement of the inner cutter. To further improve the cutting efficiency a lubricant is sprayed from an aerosol can onto the cleaned cutter head to provide for a lubricated movement of the inner movable cutter with respect to the stationary outer cutter.

Many electric dry shaver users tend to be lax in periodically cleaning their shavers, possibly one reason is the time or inconvenience of using the present cleaning devices. Consequently, any improved device which can be made available to the electric shaver owner to make it'more convenient to clean his shaver and/or spend less time in doing so, especially while traveling away from home, would be most welcome. The net result would be to have a shaver which has better cutter efficiency, as well as prolonging the life of the shaver.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel lubricating device for electric dry shavers of ready convenience for shaver owners.

Another object is to provide a completely self-contained and compact lubricating device having a brush which is readily stored within a cylinder filled with a gelled lubricant.

A further object is to provide a lubricating device wherein the handle of a lubricating brush also serves as a cap on a container for storing the brush when not in use and for containing gelled lubricant usable with the brush.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lubricating device which comprises an elonthe bristles is wiped off to remain in the container. A cap for the container also serves as a handle for the brush at the end opposite the bristles and has a sealing member internally threaded to cooperate with the external threads on the open end of thecontainer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a popular type electric dry shaver having its cutter head in an outward cleaning position and a perspective of the lubricating brush of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the lubricating device of the present invention showing the container partially broken away to disclose the brush in its stored condition within the container.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the electric dry shaver of FIG. 1 showing the bristles portion of the lubricating brush within the cutter head of the shaver.

FIG. 4 is an exaggerated and enlarged fragmentary plan view taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the inner and outer cutters taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIG. 2, the novel lubricating device of the presentinvention is generally designated by numeral 11 and includes a thin walled elongated cylindrical container 13 filled with a gelled liquid 15. Lubricant 15 includes several ingredients among which is a solvent for loosening and dissolving fatty substances such as skin oils or other like organic matter as are deposited on the surface of the cutters of a shaver, and a lubricating ingredient which provides a film between metal surfaces.

Immersed in lubricant 15 are bristles 17 formed on a braided wire stem 19'of a lubricating brush 21. The upper end of stem 19 is set into a shank 23 which is part of a sealing member 25 of suitable material, as for example rubber. Sealing member 25 is carried by a cap 27 which serves as a handle for lubricating brush 21, as well as to seal an opening 29 in the upper end of container 13. Internal threads 31 are formed in sealing member 25 and they cooperate with external threads 33 adjacent to opening 29 to effectively secure cap 27 to the container. Opening 29, as will be seen from FIG. 2, is of lesser diameter than that of bristles 17 so that it is apparent that excess lubricant 15 carried by the bristles is wiped off to remain in container 13 as the brush is withdrawn from the container.

Brush 21 is shown in FIG. 1 in connection with a slottype electric dry shaver which is generally designated by the numeral 35 and which has a cutter assembly 37 consisting of two heads 39. Each cutter head 39 includes an inner cutter 41 (FIG. 3) movable within a stationary outer cutter 43. Inner cutter 41 as connected thereto and depending therefrom a bowed spring 45 having a mid-portion seated on a drive member 47 connected to an electric motor (not shown). Ends 49 of spring 45 project-through slots formed in the base 51 of inner cutter 41, whereby upon operation of the motor (not shown) motion is transmitted through member 47 and spring 45 to reciprocate inner cutter 41 with respect to outer cutter 43. As seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 cutter teeth 53 are provided in cutters 41 and 43 and it may be understood that upon entry of hair between the 3 cutters the hair is sheared off by the teeth 53 of the cutters.

Cutter head assembly 37 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 in an elevated cleaning position to which it has been raised by mechanism (not shown) operating thereon by way of an actuating knob 55 on the shaver casing 56. Hinged doors 57 are provided at either end of the cutter head assembly 37 and the doors are spring-urged to move away from the cutter head assembly when the latter is in the position shown in the drawing. Conversely, when the knob 55 is moved in the proper direction cutter head assembly 37 moves downwardly into casing 56, and the top of such assembly is flush with the upper edges of casing 56. In the movement of cutter assembly 37 downwardly, doors-57 are cammed into engagement with the cutter assembly by the upper edges of the shaver casing bearing against the doors, whereby the ends of the cutter assembly are closedoff by the doors to contain the cut hairs between the inner and outer cutters 4 1 and 43, respectively.

In use, after cut hair is removed from the cutter head assembly, as for example by blowing, lubricating brush 21 is inserted into cutter head assembly 37 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. Bristles 17 are of such size that they enter between teeth 53 of both cutters 41 and 43 to deposit the lubricant onto such surfaces. As indicated hereinbefore, lubricant 15 contains a solvent which loosens and dissolves the fatty substances which have accumulated on the cutter teeth by reason of the previous shavings. In addition, lubricant 15 provides a film between the moving metallic surfaces to provide for improvement in the cutting or blade performance. When the user is satisfied that he has deposited sufficient lubricant in the cutter head assembly, knob 52 is actuated to displace the assembly into the shaver casing whereby the top of the cutter head assembly is flush with the top of the casing. The motor (not shown) then is energized to move cutter 41 relative to cutter 43 and any excess lubricant is wiped off with a tissue and the shaver then is ready for use with the next shaving.

It should be understood that lubricating device 11 of the present invention is usable with all currently marketed devices. Thus, for those shavers having a perforated or foil head the brush bristles 17 may be used to apply the gelled lubricant directly to the top of the cutter head unit or the outer surface of the perforated foil. In this manner, the shaver is operated so that the lubricant is drawn through the perforations to form a lubricating film between the inner surface of the foil and the edges of the movable cutter.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be specifically understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in the design and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the class described for use with electric dry shavers only having an inner cutter movable with respect to a stationary outer cutter, comprising a container having an opening therein, said container being an elongated container with the opening at one end, a gelled lubricant filling the container, said gelled lubricant containing a vaporizable fatty substance loosening and dissolving solvent component for looseningand dissolving organic matter deposited on thec utters of a shaver, a brush dimensioned to fit within the opening of the container and having the general configuration of the container and immersible within the gelled lubricant, said brush including bristles for carrying the lubricant thereon when the brush is withdrawn from the gelled lubricant within the container whereby the lubricant may be deposited on the cutters of a shaver, and means including a cap for retaining the brush within the container when not in use and for sealing the opening of the container to prevent escape of the vaporizable component of said gelled lubricant from said container, said cap secured to the brush and forming a handle therefor for withdrawing the brush from the gelled lubricant and depositing the lubricant on the cutters of a shaver.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the container is an elongated cylinder.

3. The lubricating device of claim 2 wherein the container adjacent the open end is threaded and cooperates with an internal thread on the cap.

4. The lubricating device of claim 3 wherein the cap contains a sealing member which carries the internal thread, and the opening of the container is of dimensions slightly less than the diameter of the bristles to provide for wiping off of excess lubricant. 

1. A device of the class described for use with electric dry shavers only having an inner cutter movable with respect to a stationary outer cutter, comprising a container having an opening therein, said container being an elongated container with the opening at one end, a gelled lubricant filling the container, said gelled lubricant containing a vaporizable fatty substance loosening and dissolving solvent component for loosening and dissolving organic matter deposited on the cutters of a shaver, a brush dimensioned to fit within the opening of the container and having the general configuration of the container and immersible within the gelled lubricant, said brush including bristles for carrying the lubricant thereon when the brush is withdrawn from the gelled lubricant within the container whereby the lubricant may be deposited on the cutters of a shaver, and means including a cap for retaining the brush within the container when not in use and for sealing the opening of the container to prevent escape of the vaporizable component of said gelled lubricant from said container, said cap secured to the brush and forming a handle therefor for withdrawing the brush from the gelled lubricant and depositing the lubricant on the cutters of a shaver.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the container is an eloNgated cylinder.
 3. The lubricating device of claim 2 wherein the container adjacent the open end is threaded and cooperates with an internal thread on the cap.
 4. The lubricating device of claim 3 wherein the cap contains a sealing member which carries the internal thread, and the opening of the container is of dimensions slightly less than the diameter of the bristles to provide for wiping off of excess lubricant. 